Car-heater.



C. H. KREBS.

CAR HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20. I916.

1 3 530 Patented Jan. 23,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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ad/05 %Z2 entrain STATE1PATENTFF1E 'crrsnrns n. Knees, or MILWAUKEE,WISCONSIN, Assrsuon 'ro EVEBBURN HEATER warrant or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CAR-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1918. Serial No. 110,264.

useful improvements in heaters adapted for burning charcoal or othersimilar carbonized solid fuel and is more particularly directed to theprovision of a heater adapted to be used in railway cars.

It is primarily an object of the present invention to provide a heaterof this nature which may be suspended within a car and wherein means isprovided for positively preventing the escape of burning coals from theheater, with consequent danger of fire.

It is more specifically an object in this connection to provide anarrangement whereby such means serves also as an air heating chamber inconjunction with the heater in a manner conducing to a desiredcirculation of air.

It is still further an object to provide a heater which may be readilymanipulated for the removalof ashes therefrom and for starting a freshfire therein.

In view of the jars and jolts to which a suspended car heater issubjected, it is also further an object to provide a structure whereinthe various parts are efficiently braced to withstand jarring strain.

A more detailed object resides in the provision of an improved fire boxand grate structure connected with the major portion of the heater insuch manner as to permit ready disassembly for cleaning or for thepurpose of substitution should the parts become burned out. i

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the presentinvention resides more particularly in the novel combination,arrangement'and formation of parts more particularly hereinafter pointedout .and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a carheater constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view through the heater on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.JF ig, 3 is a transverse sectional view through the upper portion of theheater on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailed view showingthemethod of securing the fire box drum to the hopper.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 5'designates a cylindricalhopper which forms the upper portion of theheater and which has a bottom 6 of inverted frustoconical shapeterminating in the discharge neck 7. Secured to and depending from theperipheral portion of the hopper bottom is an outer casing 8 havingaclosed bottom plate 9, the wall of the casing being extended slightlybelow this bottom plate and provided with an annular reinforcing band10, this band and the adjacent wall portion being apertured at 11 toform an open air space when the heater is'seated on the ground. Disposedwithin the outer casing and of such lesser diameter as to provide anannular air space between it and the outer casing is a burner drum 12which is secured at its upper end to the intermediate portion of thehopper bottom 6, by cars 13 projecting from the top of the drum inv adirection parallel to the hopper bottom and engaging in clip plates 14carried on said hopper bottom. These cars 13 comprise the upper ends ofbars 15 secured to the hopper drum and these bars have theirintermediate portions outwardly offset to form handle grips formanipulating the burner drum to attach it or detach it with respect tothe hopper, and said outwardly offset portions also serve by engagementwith the outer casing 8, as a brace means for the burner drum. Toassistin centering the drum with respect to the hopper bottom, to facilitateattachment to the clips 14, an annular apron 16 is secured to anddepends from the hopper bottom inwardly of the said clips. To form agrate within the burner drum, a bar 17 is disposed transversely in thelower portionof the drum and seated on this bar is a band 18 which fitsthe periphery of the drum. Seatedon the band, is' an upwardly dishedgrate body 19 formed offoraminous material. This grate body is securedon the band by a bolt 20 passed therethrough and through the transversebar 17, a sleeve 21 being disposed on the bolt between the grate bodyand the'bar.

Thus by tightening the bolt, the grate may be firmly secured in place,the natural resistance thereof, serving to procure a desired bindingengagement on the band, and the grate may be removed for replacement bysimply removing the bolt. Immediately below the grate the drumisprovided with an annular series of air inlet openings 22 and the upperportion of the drum above the neck 7 is provided with an annular seriesof openings 23. Thus air from the annular chamber formed by the casing 8and the drum 12 may pass into the drum and into the grate. to procureproper combustion. Above the grate the burner drum defines a fire boxand below the grate it defines an ash pit and inasmuch as the bottomedge of the drum firmly engages the bottom plate 9 of the outer casing,-this ash pit is inclosed to prevent escape of ashes and coals into theannular chamber when the outer casing 8 is in position, the bottom edgeof the drum being provided with a reinforcing band 24.

Below the openings 22 of the drum and above the bottom plate 9, theouter casing is provided with an annular series of openings 25 and asecond annular series of openings 26 is provided in the outer casingabove the openings 23 of the drum. Thus burning of fuel in the fire boxwill cause air to be drawn into the annular air heating chamber throughthe openings 25 and this air passes upwardly and outwardly through theopenings 26 thus setting up a positive circulation, a portion of thisair also passing into the burner drum through the openings 22. Inasmuchas the velocity of the air current set up in the annular chamber wouldotherwise prevent admission of suiiicient air through the openings 22, afrustoconical baflle plate 27 is provided in the annular chamber, withits outer edge engaging the outer casing and with its inner edgedisposed adjacent and above the openings,

22. This bafile plate is secured in place by arms 28 fastened to theouter casing above the said plate and inclined downwardly and inwardlyand bent about and secured to the plate. These arms in addition toproviding asecuring means for the plate also serve an exceedinglyvaluable function 'in holding the'lower portion of the drum againstlateral movement withinrthe outer casing. Due to the downward and inwardinclination of the arms 28, said arms further serve as a means forguiding the burner drum to its normal central position in the outercasing upon insertion of said drum in the casing.

Taking up now the manner of detachable connection of the outer casingwith the lower portion of the hopper, said lower portion of the hopperisprovided with an annular reinforcing band 29 from which at spacedinmrval projects lateral ears 30 provided with sockets 31 in their topfaces and the upper end of the outer casing is provided with an annularreinforcing band 32 to which is secured attaching brackets 33 eachadapted for coiiperatio-n with a respective ear, and comprising aportion bent outwardly and upwardly and then inwardly to embrace theear. Through theinwardly directed portions of the brackets are passedset screws 34 which are adapted to engage the ear and seat in the socketthereof to bind the ears against the outwardly directed portions of thebrackets. Thus the outer casing may be removed by manipulating the setscrew 34. It is noted, however, that the mere loosening ofthe. screwsdoes not serve to positively detach-the outer, casing when the burner issuspended, as the inwardly directed portions of the brackets 33 w ouldseat on the ears 30, and thus a posltive turning movement of the outercasing must be procured to detach it. This feature is valuable inasmuchas it permits the ready loosening of all of the screws to procuredetachment. The heateris in normal operation suspended-from suitable eyebolts or other members carried by the roof of a car, by means of snaphooks 35 carried by ears 36 projecting upwardly from the upper end ofthe hopper. i

To, provide ameans for shutting ofiafiow of fuel from the hopper to thefire box to thus extinguish the fire, a valve plate 37 is slidablediagonally across the neck to close it, and thisvalve plate is carriedby a stem 38 mounted ina guide plate 39 on the bottom 6 of the hopper.This stem extends outwardly of the hopper to provide for manipulationand is normally held in retracted position by a staple 40 passed 4 thehopper. For filling the hopper a cover 44 is provided and securedtransversely on the cover is a bar 45 having its intermediate portionupwardly ofi'set' to form a handle for-the cover, and having its endsprojected laterally past the cover to engage under clip plates '46secured on the top of the hopper, to thus hold the cover in position.

Taking up now the operation and advantages of the structure described,the hopper 1s filled with fuel and the device then suspended in a car.Should the heater not be lighted at its time of assembly and suspensionin the car, it maybe readily lighted at any'subsequent time by removingthe outer casing 8 and applying a torch to the bottom of the grate, itbeing noted that [upon removal of the outer casing theentire bottom ofthe burner drum is opened. This is a valuable feature inasmuch as carsconsigned edge of the casing forms, with otc es heater releases the fuelcontained in the Inasmuch as the bottom the lower portion of the burnerdrum, a closed fire box, it is impossible for coals to escape-in amanner procuring danger of fire.

in the normal use of the heater, theburner drum is never detached fromthe hopper except perhaps for the removal of foreign matter whichmightgain access to the tire box. However, should the burner drum burn out,or should it be desired to replace the grate body 19, the drum may bereadily detached.

Should it be desired to extinguish the fire burner drum.

in the burner, the valve plate 37 is closed tov prevent the feeding offuel from the hop: per. It may in some to throttle the fire to-reduce'its lntensity and for this purpose a rotatable damper band 47 surroundsthe outer casing adjacent its series of openings 26 and is provided withcorresponding openings &8 normally alining therewith.

In view of the swaying of the suspended heater caused by motion oftravel of the car, and in view of the various jars and jolts to whichthe heater would be subjected when suspended in a car, it is essentialto provide an arrangement wherein the escape of coals from the burner ispositively prevented, and further wherein the-various portions of theburner are mutually braced to resist such jars and jolts which in theextreme instances might swing the heater against the ceiling of the car.As stated the outer casing in addition to its function of an air heatingchamber to promote a positive circulation or" heated air throughout thecar, serves to prevent the escape of coals,

it being noted that there is no door or other opening from the'fire boxand that the fire boa: can only be opened by removing the outer casing.Also, the bars 15 and 28 emciently brace the burner drum and hold it.centered within the outer casing.

1 claim:

l. A car heater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending from anddetachably connected with the hopper and provided with vertically spacedseries of openings, a bottom closure for the casing, and a burner drumdepending from the hopper within the casing and spaced from the wall or"said casing to form therewith air heatcar heat/er comprising a hopper,

instances be desired means for suspending the hopper, an outer casingdepending from and detachably connected with the hopper and providedwith vertically spaced series of openings, a bottom closure for thecasing, and a burner drum depending from the hopper within the casingand spaced from the wall of said casing to form therewith an air heatingchamber.

'3. A vcar heater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending fromand detach- .ably connected with said hopper, a bottom closure for thecasing, an open bottom burner drum depending from the hopper within thecasing and adapted to engage the bottom closure of the outer casing anda grate in the drum.

4:. A. car heater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending fromand detachably connected with the hopper, a bottom closure for saidouter casing and a burner drum secured to and depending from the hopperand ing and spaced therefrom to form therewith an air heating chamber.

5. Acarheater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending from anddetachably connected with the hopper and provided with vertically spacedseries or openings, a burner drum depending from the hopper Within theouter casing and spaced therefrom and provided with vertically spacedseries of openings disposed interme diately of the openings of the outercasing, a grate in the burner drum between its series of openings and anannular baflie plate surrounding the burner drum above its lower seriesof openings.

6. A. car heater comprising a hopper, an

' vided with vertically spaced series of openings, a burner drum securedto and depending from the hopper within the outer casing and spacedtherefrom and provided with vertically spaced series of openingsdisposed intermediately' of the openings of'the outer casing, a grate inthe burner drum between its series of openings, an annular bafiie platesurrounding the burner drum above its lower series of openings, andmeans for securing said baflie plate comprising arms secured to andextending inwardly from the outer casing, and serving also to brace thelower portion or" the drum.

7. In a car heater including a hopper, means tor-suspending the hopper,and an outer casing detachably connected with and depending from thehopper, said detachable connection of the outer casing comprisinglateral cars at the lower portion of the hopper and brackets carried bythe outer casing including portions extending outwardly disposed withinthe outer casears and set screws passed through the inburner drum in theouter casing and lateral ear portions at the upper end of the drumengageable with the clip members and offset intermediate handle portionsadapted to engage the outer casing. I

9. A car heater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending from thehopper and provided with vertically spaced series of openings, a burnerdrum depending from the hopper within the casing, and provided withvertically spaced series of openings disposed intermediately of theopenings of the outer casing, and a grate in the burner drumintermediately of its series of openings.

10. A car heater comprising'a hopper, an outer casing depending from thehopper and provided with vertically spaced series of openings, a burnerdrum depending from the hopper within the casing and provided withvertically spaced series of openings disposed intermediately of theopenings of the outer casing, a grate in the burner drum intermediatelyof its series of openings, and

bars secured to the burner drum and including a rotatable damper banddisposed about the uppermost series of openings of the outerv casing andprovided with openings adapted to aline with said series of openings.

11. A car heater comprising a hopper, an outer casing depending from anddetachably connected with the hopper and provided with vertically spacedseries of openings, a burner drum secured to and depending from thehopper within the outer casing and spaced from the latter and providedwith vertically spaced series of openings disposed intermediately of theopenings of the outer casing, a grate in the burner drum between itsseries of openings, an annular bafile plate surrounding the burner drumabove its lower series of openings, and means for securing saidbaflleplate comprising arms secured to and extending diagonallydownwardly and inwardly from the outer casing to provide a guide meansfor insertion of the burner drum.

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. KREBS.

